30 things for ASC leaders to know for July

Here are 30 things for healthcare leaders to note from the past month:

CMS proposes 1.9% increase in 2018 ASC pay, adding total joint replacementsCMS released a proposed rule that would update the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and the Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System. CMS is proposing to increase payment rates by 1.9 percent to ASCs that are meeting quality reporting requirements. CMS based the increase on the consumer price index but adjusted it in accordance with the ACA.

The Surgery Center at Orthopedic Associates introduces total joint replacementsPoughkeepsie, N.Y.-based Orthopedic Associates of Dutchess County and The Surgery Center at Orthopedic Associates introduced outpatient total joint replacements at the ASC. The ASC is constructing an overnight recovery suite patients can utilize if necessary.

Medical Facilities Corp. names Robert Horrar COOMedical Facilities Corp. appointed Robert Horrar COO. Mr. Horrar comes to MFC after serving in various executive roles at Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Heath Systems.

Iowa ophthalmologist receives CON for ASC on 5th tryLee Birchansky, MD, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based ophthalmologist received state approval to open an outpatient eye center on his fifth attempt in more than 10 years.

SurgiSite North creates new surgery centerBoston-based SurgiSite North partnered with Bowdoin Construction Corp., for its new 8,000-square-foot surgery center in Chelmford, Mass.

ASA appoints Dr. Lauren Berkow to committeesThe American Society of Anesthesiologists appointed Gainesville-based UF Health anesthesiologist Lauren Berkow, MD, to its committee on neuroanesthesia and equipment and facilities.

Florida's 1st freestanding ASC is closingHollywood, Fla.-based Memorial Same Day Surgery Center is closing its doors next month. Competition in the area is increasing, leading the ASC to close its doors. Memorial Same Day Surgery Center is the first freestanding ASC in Florida.

Iowa physician suing state over CON law to appear before state council for 5th timeOphthalmologist Lee Birchansky, MD, will appear before Iowa's State Health Facilities Council regarding his proposal for an ASC in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This is the fifth time Dr. Birchansky is appearing before the council for his certificate-of-need application. Dr. Birchansky, his patient Michael Jensen and Orange City, Iowa-based Korver Ear Nose and Throat are among those who filed a lawsuit against the Iowa Department of Public Health regarding the state's CON legislation.

UK hospital finds 27 missing contact lenses in cataract surgery patientUnited Kingdom-based Solihull Hospital medical staff found 27 missing contact lenses in the eye of a patient seeking cataract surgery. It is unclear how long the contacts were clustered in the patient's eye. The patient told surgeons sometimes she could not find a contact when she tried to remove it.

412 individuals charged in $1.3B fraud crackdown In the largest healthcare fraud enforcement action to date, the U.S. government filed fraud-related charges against 412 individuals including 115 physicians, nurses and licensed medical professionals.

Massachusetts ophthalmology ASC celebrates 20 yearsAdams, Mass.-based Cataract and Laser Center commemorated 20 years. Ophthalmologists opened the ASC in 1997. It has served more than 27,000 patients over two decades.

Hospital for Special Surgery plans fall opening for outpatient centerNew York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery aims to complete its 50,000-square-foot outpatient center this fall. The center will be HSS' largest outpatient center.

New York hospital planning ambulatory facility New York City-based Wyckoff Heights Medical Center wants to build an ambulatory facility in the space of a former automotive garage. The medical center wants to create a two-story ambulatory diagnostic and treatment facility in New York City, with a parking garage on the lower story.

Outdated colonoscopies performed at Oregon VA hospital prompt country-wide changesThe U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs inspector general is initiating system-wide changes after determining the Roseburg (Ore.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center performed colonoscopies using outdated methods. While the inspector general's report noted the center's colonoscopies had no documented adverse events, the former chief of surgery at Roseburg VA was using outdated practices like burning polyps.

Marshfield Clinic to appeal CON denial for hospital with surgery centerMarshfield (Wis.) Clinic will appeal the Oneida County planning and development committees' decision to deny the clinic' certificate-of-need application for a hospital with a surgery center. The committee denied the application in a 3-to-2 vote June 14. The health system will submit its appeal by deadline.

Oklahoma ASCs face updated building standards to meet Medicaid, Medicare safety codesThe Oklahoma State Department of Health implemented new standards for building requirements applicable to ASCs and hospitals. The health department set the standards to meet current national Medicaid and Medicare safety code guidelines.

Compass Surgical Partners adds Scott White as Florida market presidentScott White is the Florida market president of Compass Surgical Partners, an ASC management and development company. In his new role, Mr. White will oversee Compass' Florida surgery centers' operations and will lead the opening of various centers Compass has under development.

The Joint Commission releases 4 new TJR performance measuresThe Joint Commission recently released four new performance measures for total hip and total knee replacement procedures. The measures correlate to the following areas:

Regional anesthesia

Postoperative ambulation on the day of surgery

Discharged to home

Preoperative functional/health status assessment

Premier Surgery Center of Sarasota sells for $4.4MPremier Surgery Center of Sarasota (Fla.) sold for $4.43 million. National Surgery Center Holdings, a Tenet Healthcare subsidiary, is the majority tenant partner in the ASC.

Takeda CEO facing pressure amid dismal profitsTakeda Pharmaceuticals President and CEO Christophe Weber could face increased scrutiny after the retirement of Chairman Yasuchika Hasegawa. Mr. Hasegawa was supposed to assume a corporate councilor position following his retirement, but the company's stakeholders rejected the appointment after Takeda posted "dismal" earnings.

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